The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-04-06
AN ORIENTAL POTENTATE.
THE SHAH OF PERSIA AS A MIGHTY
NIMRoD.

s. G.. W. Benjamin, late United States
Minister to Persia, says, in an article in
the New York Star.
Nasr-ed -Deen Shah is a great hunter
Undoubtedly his excellent health through
protracted reign is due in a measure to
his partiality for sports of the field. At
least fortnightly during the winter the
Shah visits one of his numerous pavilions
in the suburbs, and devotes himself to
the chase. The day before such an ex-
cursion the open space without the gate
of the palace is crowded with mules and
camels which form part of the royal
menage; and the entire day is devoted to
loading them with the various articles
that may be needed by the king and his
wives. If the season be the spring or
autumn, then numerous tents of the
largest size are added, greatly increasing
the number of the loads. The tents of
the high dignitaries of Persia are of
great size, sometimes sixty to eighty feet
in length, divided into apartments and
lined with choice embroideries. That
part of the camp occupied by the wives
is surrounded by painted canvas wall,
and, as the royal tents are of crimson,
the effect is unique. The caravan starts
several hours before the Shah, in order
that all may be in readiness against his
arrival. At sunrise of the day he is to
start, a cannon announces the event. In
early times it was the custom to publish
his departure by throwing a red banner
to the breeze from the top of high
tower.
During the summer from May to Sep
tember inclusive, the Shah passes from
one superb country seat to another, and
takes long expeditions into the noun
tains. He is then accompanied by a
number of his wives. All Of these resorts
are beautifed by tanks or artificial lakes,
acres in extent, inclosed by masbnry and
shaded by dense groves. 1 remember a
tank that was surrounded by a line of
small houses exactly alike, and each con-
tanning one room. These were intended
for the favorite wives, while above tow
cred the pavilion of the Shah in three
lofty stories, elegantly decorated.
When the buildings are insufficient to
accommodate all the wives, whether of
the Shah or his Ministers, at these sum-
mer resorts, it is not unusual for the
ladies to occupy tents in the grounds
while their lord reposes luxuriantly under
the shelter of a solid roof Still, one
rarely hears the women of Persia complain.
With them ignorance is bliss.
When the wives of the Shah accom-
pany him on these trips, they travel in
tachtravaus when going over the noun
tains. These are covered litters, resem-
bling palanquins, carried between the
mules. But in the environs of Teheran
these ladies always go in certain curious
coaches that date, apparently, almost
from prehistoric times. These vehicles
are drawn by six horses each, and in shape
resemble an old-fashioned stage coach.
They are painted blue and profusely
gilded. The royal escutcheon of Persia,
the lion and the sun, is emblazoned on
the doors. There are no seats in these
coaches, but the floor is covered with a
mattress, on which rugs are spread. On
this the ladies are wont to sit on their
knees. ss
When the mandate has gone forth for
the ladies to 90 abroad from the palace,
which they always do with long pro-
cession of coaches, mounted heralds are
sent half an hour in advance to announce
their coming in the streets they are to
traverse. Great commotion Immediately
ensues. The very ours, fighting or hunt
ing their native preserves in the middle
of the street, scent the alarm and stink
into hidden corners, while every shop
keeper hastens to close his booth, and re-
tire from the scene. Bystanders and way
farers take the nearest short cut that may
lead them away from these dangerous
precincts, and soon the street is entirely
deserted.
A rumbling is soon heard in the dis
tance; then a squad of gholams or
mounted guards of the palace, a corps of
picked cavalry, are seen approaching.
Soon after the chief eunuch, a pleasant
booking white man, follows, and then the
line of blue coaches filed with ladies
closely yelled. Mounted eunuchs protect
the last carriages, and another squadron
of cavalry brings up the rear of the pro-
cession, but at a distance from the
coaches sufficient to prevent too close OBJ
servation of the fair inmates.
Woe be to the luckless wight who hap
pens to be so incautious or unfortunate
as to be found in the street when the pro.
cession passes. In former times ne would
have been slain on the spot There is a
case on record in which the forerunners
discovered page asleep on a rug by the
wayside. Without so much as stopping
to wake him, they rolled him up in the
rug, tossed him into a ditch, and buried
him alive. While such a terrible fat,
might not perhaps await any one now
who should be caught in such a perdica
ment yet he would at least receive ;
kicking and thrashing that he would re
member to his dying day Even the sen
tinels posted in the street or in palace
gates must turn face to the wall wher
the royal cortege passes and presen
arms from behind General Gasteiger. al
Austrian in the service of the Shah, was
on one occasion, unable to get away a.
the coaches entered the street. Turninl
TO the wall, he wagged his hand at hi
back by way Of salute Even the Shal
condescended TO laugh when he heard o
this absurd incident, although he show
no disposition TO relax the very strict Gus
toms relating TO his wives. European
are not exempt from this strictness, an,